


A Thing or Two About That Winchester

by CassandraAdern



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Sharing a Bed, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-23
Updated: 2020-02-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:13:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 10,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22367728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CassandraAdern/pseuds/CassandraAdern
Summary: College AU. Dean ends up at a liberal arts school in Virginia miles away from home. His first semester brings with it roommate troubles, new friends, and a mysterious boy in a class he hadn't planned on taking.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester, Destiel, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Comments: 5
Kudos: 16





	1. Time for A Change

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry the first chapters are so short. I wanted to add a bit of background to Dean's life, but also wanted to get it out of the way and actually start writing about the school :) I swear it'll get better and chapters will get longer, just bear with me a bit.
> 
> Or you can skip to chapter three which is where Dean arrives at the college.

It was Dean’s first year at College. 

How he’d ended up at a liberal arts school in Virginia was beyond him. His grades hadn’t been all good, but he’d excelled in guitar and singing at the annual talent show. His guidance counselor recommended a career path in performance, so Dean’s Senior year he’d joined the school musical. It lost him a lot of popularity at first, but his little brother, who was in his sophomore year at the time had been thrilled. 

It took some getting used to, the kids were all nerds and they all thought they were super cool, but eventually Dean made friends. Charlie, who worked tech with Sam, had become like a little sister to him. Dean also befriended Benny, a graduate from another local highschool whose dad was the drama teacher. Dean had been the lead, he delivered a stellar performance alongside Bella, a pretty blond with a bad attitude. They’d both been recruited by a talent scout and Dean, with few other options, decided this was the best choice for him. 

It was one week until move in day. Dean would be taking a train from Kansas City to DC and then uber to his college. It would’ve been much easier to fly, but Dean hated planes. There was no way he would go on one alone. This whole process would be so much easier if he had someone to do it with. The only other person he knew going to the same college was Bela and there was no way he was going with her. He’d had enough of her melodrama for a lifetime.

Dean sighed and stared in the mirror. He was supposed to be packing, his father was taking him and Sammy out to dinner and he was leaving in the morning. He knew he should be excited, but he couldn’t help but worry. How would Sammy fare without him? His father wasn’t exactly peaches and cream to be around. He’d miss the simplicity of high school. It was something he understood, college was completely unknown. 

His father had never gone, he was a mechanic. He’d made fun of Dean for a month after hearing his career choice ‘oh, pretty boy wants to be an actor?’. His father’s snarky tone rung in Dean’s ears as he stared into the mirror. His knuckles were white from clutching the sink and breathing was becoming steadily harder. What if he sucked at acting? Yeah sure, here in Lawrence, Kansas he was a big shot in a high school musical, but this was the city, people had been training their whole lives. What if he couldn’t make friends? He’d be without Sammy, without his car, there would be nothing to tether him home, no one to go to.  
Dean started at the sound of a knock on his door. He straightened, took a deep breath and said weakly. “Come in.” His little brother entered the room, looking almost as pale as Dean. Just the sight of his brother instantly relaxed Dean.

“Hey Dean,” Sam’s eyes flicked to the empty suitcase, “I thought you were packing?” 

“Uh, I was.” Dean scratched the back of his neck nervously, he didn’t want to admit to his baby brother that he’d been freaking out. Sam eyed him, but thankfully didn’t press the matter. 

“You want help?” Dean nodded thankful for the companionship. The two set to work, silence settled between them. A knowing silence, that everything they’d ever known was about to change. The only noise filling the room was zeppelin playing lightly from Dean’s laptop.

All of Dean’s clothes fit in one suitcase. In a duffel, he placed his favorite cassettes, toiletries, a pocket knife, his favorite pillow and a box that contained pictures of his family. He left his posters on the wall, a single pair of jeans and three shirts for when he visited. All of his school supplies would fit in a backpack, Sammy packed that. Dean didn’t own a lot, his whole life fit in a suitcase and two bags. The room was eerily empty when they were done. The sat for a minute, neither saying anything. Eventually Sam breaks the silence. “I’m gonna miss you.” Dean meets his eyes.

“I’ll miss you too Sammy,” He offered his best smile and pulled his little brother into a hug, willing himself not to cry. The brothers never hug. They love each other very much, though they’ll never say it out loud, but affection was rarely shown in this family. They showed they cared in other ways. Dean letting Sam drive the Impala before he got his license, everyone knew what that car meant to him, and Sam, always defending his brother even if it meant always fighting with his dad, at least it took the heat off of Dean. But today was different. They both knew things were about to change for good. They would no longer be around to protect each other, they’d no longer have each other to do stupid embarrassing things with or cry to when things went wrong. They’d have to start over, and hope they didn’t grow apart in the process. Dean held on to Sam as if for dear life, gut churning at the thought of losing their bond.


	2. The Move

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean leaves his home for something new.

Dinner was awkward to say the least. None of them spoke much. Lisa, Dean’s high school girlfriend through sophomore and junior year was their waitress. She kept smiling weakly at Dean, clearly sad to see him leave. Sam looked like if he spoke he’d just cry and there was no way either of John’s boys would ever cry in front of him. As for his father, well, he seemed to have an air of disappointment about him. He spoke only to mention the family auto shop and how Dean was abandoning the ‘legacy’, but he seemed to know it was pointless. Dean wasn’t so sure though. Even as his father spoke he thought of how easy it would be to just stay here, keep his job at his dad’s shop, stay with Sammy. He was terrified of the unknown, being lonely, trapped miles away from home. But then he imagined life 30 years from now. Would he really be happy trapped here in the same small town his whole life? This was something he had to do.

******

Sam had fallen asleep on the couch watching movies with Dean. Dean carried him to bed, this was getting increasingly hard now that Sam was 16 and almost as tall as him. He tucked in his brother, gave him a kiss on the forehead. He made his way back to the kitchen and glanced around. He was leaving, soon this wouldn’t be his home. There was only one place he wanted to spend his last hours. He pushed open the front door and slowly took on the sight of the sleek black 69 chevy impala he’d known since he’d been born. He grinned at her.

“Hey Baby” Dean ran his hand across her hood as he made his way to the door. He spent the next two hours in the impala, knowing sleep wouldn’t come. It was 4 am when he went back inside, his father said they were leaving at 4:30 to catch his 6:00am train. He found John in the kitchen holding a cup of coffee.

“You ready boy?” He asked when his eyes fell on Dean, still fully dressed from the day before. Dean nodded.

“Yes sir. I’ll go get my stuff.” He darted into his room. He gathered his bags, slinging the duffel over his left shoulder and pulling the suitcase with his right. He took one last look at his room wondering when he’d next see it. I hope I’m making the right choice. He’d never forgive himself if he left now, only to flunk out and come back home a failure. He still had time to back out. But instead he let out a breath, turned and left his room, closing the door behind him.


	3. Move-In Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally at school!!!

When Dean arrived at the campus he saw it alight with bustle as everyone moved in. “Shit” he murmured under his breath. He hated crowds. He grabbed his bags from the trunk of his uber, thanking the man before he pulled away. Dean stared at the line forming at the entrance to the dorm he would be living in for the next year. He joined the back of the line, trying to ignore the stares he was getting. Most people in the crowd seemed to have family or friends with them. A few here and there were alone, but for the most part everyone had some form of support. Dean felt a twinge in his stomach imagining if Sam could be with him right now. The line moved slowly. Dean’s shoulders were aching with pressure from the bags by the time he made it through the doors. He groaned when he was met with more lines. 

“Not a fan of lines huh?” Came a voice to the side of him. Dean turned to see a short man leaning against a wall sucking a lollipop. He was dressed in a yellow shirt and black dress pants. Dean assumed he must be working. “The name’s Gabriel” The man straightened and extended his hand. 

“Dean, Winchester.” Dean gripped the man’s hand tightly and shook firmly.

“Damn Winchester, you certainly got a grip on you.” The man shook his hand. Dean’s face puzzled. He supposed this Gabriel must not be familiar with any kind of manual labor if he couldn’t even handle a handshake. 

“Sorry,” He mumbled, but the other man cut him off. 

“No need,” He gave Dean a quick once over. “C’mon, follow me. I’ll get you set up with your room.” Dean blinked in surprise, but followed the shorter man. Gabriel lead them past the rest of the line and stopped at the table labeled U-Z. There was a woman handing out keys one by one to the student’s assigned rooms. She was a rather formal looking woman for her age. She had a dark brown bob and wore a blazer. Gabriel leaned over and whispered into the woman’s ear. She nodded and flipped through her list. Her finger came to rest over Winchester, Dean. She crossed off his name with a yellow sharpie and grabbed his key from the table. 

“Here you are, Dean. Room 06183. You’ll be rooming with Balthazar.” She handed him the key. Dean blinked. Balthazar? Gabriel? What was with the names around here? He pocketed the key and gave the woman a smile. 

“Thanks Hannah” Gabriel winked at her before leading Dean away from the table. “Well you’re all set. Good luck with your roommate.” He smiled almost knowingly. 

“Thank you Gabriel.”

“Oh please, call me Gabe.” He walked Dean to the elevator, still talking. “Anyway, I’ll be seeing you around. Hannah and I are the RAs for floors 6-12.” What the hell is an RA? Dean wondered, but Gabe answered his question before he could even ask. “We handle any issues you have with your roommate, help you with school related questions, and monitor activities to ensure no one is breaking any rules.” He cocked his eyebrows at Dean. “But between you and me, I’m in it for the free housing.” Dean smiled at this. Gabe seemed nice, if not a bit cocky. “Oh, hold on. I think that’s my little bro! Catch you later Dean.” Gabe’s eyes were fixated on the crowd just outside the door, but Dean couldn’t make out who exactly he was staring at. He gave him a pat on the shoulder before diving into the crowd. “Good luck moving in!” Gabe called over his shoulder. Dean tried to peer through the faces to follow Gabe but the elevator behind him dinged. 

Dean turned and squished himself into the elevator. When it came to stop on floor 6 he exited and followed the signs to the 100 side of the floor. When he came to his room he unlocked the door and fumbled his way inside. He heaved the bags off of his back and rolled his shoulders at the loss of the extra weight. He glanced around, there were two beds on one side of the room divided by a wall that only stretched halfway to the ceiling. The other side of the room had two desks and directly across from the door was a giant window. The other side of the room had already been moved in. Red and black sheets adorned the bed by the window. A sword, that Dean was pretty sure was against protocol, was hung on the wall and his desk was full of strange bottles of various contents. Dean began unpacking his own stuff. He made his bed. His own grey comforter looked dull in comparison to the other side of the room. He set the box, filled with memories of his family on his desk. He also placed a framed picture of Baby and   
hung two band posters he’d brought with him, Led Zeppelin and AC/DC. He was just starting of unpacking his clothes when the door opened. He spun around to see a blond man dressed in a v-neck tee, skinny jeans, and a leather jacket. He had a slack jawed expression and a sleazy sense about him that instantly put Dean on edge. He was accompanied by two girls one had doe eyes and flaming red hair, the other black straight hair and hazel eyes.

“Ah, and you must be Dean.” The man mosied his way into the room. “This is Anna and…” 

“Tessa.” Said the brunette shooting a resentful look at Balthazar.

“Ah, yes. Of course.” Said Balthazar, seeming as though he could care less. “Uh ladies, as much as I’d love you to stay, I really should be getting acquainted with my new roomie.” The girls nodded. Dean shot them a smile as they left. Balthazar made his way to his bed and sat down on the comforter as Dean watched.

“It’s good to meet you.” Dean offered. The blond surveyed him and nodded curtly. Dean tried to ignore his rude demeanor. They’d be stuck together all year. They might as well be cordial. “So,” He searched for some form of conversation “I see you’re already making an impression on the ladies.” He smirked honestly a little impressed at how fast the man worked. 

“Yes, people are naturally drawn to me.” The man drawled. Dean couldn’t quite place his accent. He’d never heard it before, maybe on TV, but he rarely watched any programs other than the ones his father put on. Maybe it was British? “I tend to have an ineffaceable presence.” Dean blinked in confusion. The other man scoffed at his reaction and got to his feet again. “Well anyway, I’ve more work to do. Be prepared for company tonight.” And with that he left. Dean stood there dumbfounded. It had been a strange interaction to say the least, and a rather uncomfortable one at that. He better get used to it though, he had a whole year left before he could go home. 

Dean swung himself up onto his bed and let out a sigh. He hated meeting new people. As much as he seemed the outgoing, fun-loving, popular kid, truth was he’d much rather sit at home cuddled up under a blanket and watch a movie with his little brother. But this was college, he’d have to be social if he was gonna make it. A little part of him just wanted to become a recluse and hideaway in his dorm and never talk to anyone, but he knew that wasn’t sensible. He pulled out his phone and checked his messages. There were about half a dozen from Sammy.

Sam: Good luck Dean :) 12:34pm  
Sam: I hope everything is going okay, haven’t heard from you in a while. 3:51pm  
Sam: Have you seen the room yet? 5:42pm  
Sam: Listen, I know you don’t like to get sappy, but I miss you. I hope college treats you well. 6:38pm  
Sam: Just don’t forget about me alright? 6:40pm

Dean felt a pang in his chest at the last message. He could never forget about his brother. It hurt so much to be away from him for even a day. That message had been sent 14 minutes ago. He silently cursed himself for not checking his phone. His little brother was stuck in the house with their father, alone. He quickly typed a response.

Dean: Hey, Sammy! Sorry for going so long with no response, move-in has been crazy. I just got to the room and unpacked. I wish you could be here to see the city, it’s huge! A bunch of nerdy stuff here that you’d like, I heard the Library’s open 24 hours. I met my roommate, he seems like a character to say the least, but at least he has good style. How’s dad? Keep an eye on him for me? And keep on being my loser little brother oh and don’t grow too much, you’re already almost as tall as me. See you soon, bitch ;) 6:53pm

Dean paused before sending the message, wiping his eyes.


	4. Old Faces in New Places

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean runs into an old family friend.

It was a quarter till 9. The dorm was buzzing with excitement from move-in and anticipation for the first party. Dean was anxious. His palms were already sweaty. Everyone around him seemed to know about a party, but he hadn’t heard of an address yet. He felt a pang in his stomach at the thought of being the only one not going out. 

He hurried down the hall. He needed some fresh air. Just as he was pushing through the doors to outside he bumped into a girl. 

“Sorry,” He blushed.

“Don’t worry abo-” The girl murmured, turning her head slightly. She froze when she saw Dean. “Oh,” Dean swallowed hard. That face… It couldn’t be.

“Jo…” He opened his mouth to say more, but nothing came out. 

“Well, what do we have here?” Another woman who Jo had been walking with was sizing him up. “You’re a pretty thing aren’t you.” The girl was quite beautiful. Her long black hair curled around her shoulders and her eyes were a striking blue-green, just Dean’s type. “Well, aren’t you gonna introduce me?” She nudged Jo.

“Uh, Dean. This is Pamela.” Jo tore her eyes away from Dean to introduce her friend. 

“Pamela Barnes,” The girl stuck out her hand and shook Dean’s.

“Nice to meet you” Dean gave her a slight smile, but his attention was still focused on Jo. He couldn’t believe it was her.

“Please, the pleasure’s all mine.” She narrowed her eyes. He grinned and let out a slight chuckle. “You got plans tonight?” 

“Pamela,” Jo warned, but Pamela just held up a hand. 

“Uh, n-no. Not really.” Dean glanced back and forth between the girls. 

“Well, you should stop by Delta chi later. That’s where we’ll be.” She fished through her purse until she found a pen. “Here” She grabbed Dean’s arm and scribbled down an address. Jo stood awkwardly behind her staring at Dean. He avoided her gaze.

“Thanks,” He murmured. She smirked at him before walking off. Jo followed behind.

Dean pushed his way outside. His face felt hot. He hadn’t seen Jo since… Well since his dad had made a move on Ellen, her mom. Jo’s dad had freaked when he found out what John had done. The two were old hunting buddies, their kids had known each other since kindergarten. Jo’s dad had seen this as the ultimate betrayal. 

Dean remembered the night he’d come to their house, pounding on the door, asking for John. They’d fought. Jo’s father left bloody and limping. Dean didn’t know the rest of the story, not really. He’d gathered bits and pieces from overheard phone calls, heard muffled screaming matches between his dad and Ellen. The gist of it was after the fight Jo’s dad came home, bloody and beaten. The sight had terrified Jo. He’d packed and left the same night. All Dean knew for sure was, after that, he wasn’t allowed to talk to Jo. He’d been in 8th grade last time he’d seen her. He’d never forget the broken look on her face. He’d tried to talk to her, to make things right, but she’d turned away. He figured she was told not to talk to him either. A week into the school year Jo and Ellen left. Now she was here? What were the chances.

Dean paced around a park across the street from his dorm. This day was fucking crazy. Maybe a party would be good for him. He could definitely use a drink or two to clear his mind. He glanced at the address on the back of his hand and made up his mind. He was going.


	5. The Party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I recently learned that I was formatting chapter wrong and I should add more indents to make it easier to read. Let me know if you like this style more!

When he got to the party he was met with dozens of freshman girls dressed in crop tops and short-shorts. They were being followed around by frat boys who looked like they couldn’t even grow a beard. 

The music pumped some america’s top 40s crap which everyone seemed to be fine with. There was a bar at the back, if you could call that a bar, with a line of girls. He made his way over. He’d need a drink if he was going to get through this.

There was a pretty brunette in front of him. She caught his eye and smiled. He grinned back. He couldn’t help but think this would be a lot less awkward if he had a wing-man. 

When he finally got up to the station he was met with a scrawny guy wearing earmuffs and a shirt that had way too many buttons undone. 

“What can I get you?” The guy smiled at Dean in such a kind and open way that it made Dean uncomfortable. 

“Uh, beer. Any kind.” Dean grunted, voice lower than usual. 

“Right on,” The guy reached into a cooler and pulled out a bottle of a light colored beer. He went to work trying (and failing) to open it. Dean scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed for the guy. But he didn’t seem to be bothered. 

“Darned thing. What’d you say you name was?” The guy asked turning back towards Dean as he continued to struggle. 

“Uh, Dean.” He couldn’t help but be distracted by the guys attempts. 

“Nice to meet you Dean. I’m Garth.” At this point Garth dropped the bottle opener and began trying to use the counter to open the bottle.

“Here, let me.” Dean offered his hand. Garth handed him the beer. Dean grabbed the bottle opener off of the counter, gave it a quick spin around his finger and in one swift movement popped the lid. Garth’s eyes followed the bottle cap to the ground as he gawked at Dean in amazement. 

“Cool! Wow dude.” He stared at the bottle opener as Dean handed it back to him. 

“Thanks for the beer!” Dean tipped the bottle to Garth and took a swig as he turned away. 

He was met by the pretty brunette who’d been in front of him. 

“Hey,” she smiled at him. “Poor little guy, he sure was struggling” she laughed. Nodding towards his beer. Dean opened his mouth to respond, but something else caught his eye. 

He lifted the bottle up to be level with the girl’s face. “Woah, am I seeing double?” He asked. The girl standing in front of him looked almost identical to the model on the bottle. 

The girl laughs “No, my daddy owns that company, I modeled for him!”

“Awesome.” Dean raised his eyebrows, impressed. 

“Carmen Porter.” The girl extended her hand.

“Dean Winchester.” Her hand was soft and almost fragile. She can’t have worked a day in her life.

“So modeling?” The girl nodded.

“Daddy said he wanted both of his babies to be loved by the world.” She traced the lip of her own bottle fondly. 

He smiled. “Wow, that's awesome! So do you like get free beer or what?” She laughed again. 

“I mean in theory, but I’m not allowed to drink at home.” She used air quotes at the “allowed”. 

“Really? Why not?” Dean took a swig of the beer. It was lighter than he’d like but it’d do the job.

“Oh y’know parents. They’re just super strict. Never allowed out late, no boyfriends, no distractions.” 

“Wow, so you’re not allowed to date.” He was shocked. He couldn’t ever imagine his dad being that controlling.

“Well not technically” She smirked at him. “But what are the rules if not meant to be broken?” He grinned knowingly. 

“So what made you pick VCU? Are you an art kid?” 

“Nope, pre-med. I’m gonna be a nurse.” She said it with such conviction that Dean was impressed. “My Mom is a dental hygienist and she went to school here and loved it.”

Dental hygienist? Owning a beer company? This girl must be loaded. Dean instantly felt self conscious of his old jeans and the whole in his pocket. 

He was suddenly distracted by a girl shouting.

“Hey get off me you perv!”

“Excuse me,” Dean raced through the crowd and found the source of the shouting. 

Pamela Barnes. The girl he’d seen with Jo. She was trying to pull away from a drunken frat boy with a scratch across his face, who didn’t seem to understand the word no.

“Hey, leave her alone.” Dean strode up to the guy and stared him down. The guy laughed at Dean’s face but Dean saw a glint of fear in his eyes. The guy let go of Pamela and disappeared into the crowd. Dean could’ve sworn he saw Jo’s blonde hair sweeping away. 

“My hero.” Pamela grabbed his arm. He turned to face her. “Thanks!” 

“Don’t mention it.” He shrugged. “Did you do that?” He touched his face in the place where the other man had been bleeding. She nodded and grinned, clearly pleased with herself. 

“Nice,”

“So you came!” She beamed. “I was wondering if I’d see you here.”

“Yeah, I figured it’d be better to go out then start my semester off as a recluse.” He joked. 

A few beers later Pamela was leading Dean back to the dorms.


	6. Barnes in a Bathroom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING - some sexy times occur in this chapter (kinda not really). Naked people, suggestive shit, public areas... yeah so if that bothers you skip this chapter :)

They stopped on the Sixth floor and paused their makeout session to leave the elevator. Dean lead her quickly to his room. 

When they got there however, Dean was met with a rather unpleasant sight. 

He swung the door open to reveal Balthazar full frontal, standing ass to the window getting sucked off by a girl he recognized as Tessa. 

“Oh” Dean quickly turned away. But Pamela stood her ground, hand on hip, unimpressed.

“You gonna be long?” She asked. Dean shot her a look. Tessa was frantically pulling a sheet over herself. 

“You can’t just come in here!” She shouted. 

“It’s my room!” Dean threw up his arms still not looking at her. 

“Get out!” She shouted. Dean felt something come in contact with the back of his head that he was pretty sure was one of his shower shoes.

“Jesus, chill” Pamela stated “We’re going” They turned and left. Dean locked the door behind him then turned back to Pamela.

“Your room?” Dean asked and shrugged hopefully.

“Yeah, I’m not so sure Jo would want you there.” She raised her eyebrows.

“Oh, you’re roommates?” Dean blinked at the realization. He supposed that made sense. He hadn’t seen Jo in years, but from what he could remember she never had many female friends. Said they were too much drama.

“Yeah, we were randomly assigned, but I think it all worked out. I like the girl.” They turned to walk away from the room seeing no point in standing outside listening to the moaning.

“Really, you two fit that well?”

“What can I say? The girl’s cute. Good kisser.” She nudged Dean. He blinked stunned. “But I suppose you’d know all about that.” She smirked teasingly. 

“No,no. Jo and I-” He shook his head rapidly “Nothing like that. We were friends, just friends.”

“Oh?” Pamela’s smirk was still plastered on her face. “That why you checked her out earlier?” Dean swallowed hard.

“That wasn’t. I wasn’t. I just haven’t seen her since she was in pigtails, that’s all.” He cursed the blush he felt on his cheeks.

“Hey I get it” Pamela laughed “I just like seeing you squirm.” She rolled her eyes over him. “One way or another.” 

She grabbed his hand suddenly and pulled him into the hall bathroom. 

“What’re you-?” He gasped as her lips were shoved against his. He kissed back enthusiastically. His hands fell into place on her lower back, pulling her closer. She grabbed at his hair. He let her lead, setting the pace she was comfortable with. She cleary didn’t want this.

“Don’t be such a prude.” She whispered into his ear. He smirked. His hands dropped lower and in an instant he was lifting her off the ground and pushing her up against the sink. She hummed clearly pleased. He thrust against her grinding rhythmically. She threw her head back and moaned. One hand fell to his shoulder, the other found the sink to support herself.

Her lips found his again and her legs spread wider, giving him better access. He pulled her closer and began kissing down her neck. Lower. Lower. His lips found place just below her collar bone. She quickly took this as a cue to pull off her shirt. 

He watched as she easily pulled the shirt from her body and threw it on the floor beside them. He fell back to his job. Working on her chest while still grinding into her. She groaned again and the hand on his shoulder gripped tighter. 

Suddenly the door swung open. Dean pulled away instantly. Pamela quickly made for her shirt on the floor. She retrieved it and turned away to put it on. Dean’s eyes fell to the man who’d just entered the bathroom. It was a heavy set guy with musty brown hair. He had on a Superman shirt, sweatpants and was holding a magazine. 

“Sorry about that.” He smiled awkwardly.

“No please, continue on.” The guy dipped his head and headed into one of the stalls. 

Dean turned to Pamela and one hand found the back of his neck. “Raincheck?” He beamed at her. She rolled her eyes at him, but smiled nonetheless. 

He glanced at his reflection in the mirror. His face was flushed and hair disheveled. 

A large fart sounded behind them and a sort of splatter. Pamela’s hand flew to her mouth to stop herself from laughing. She grabbed Dean’s hand and led him out of the room. They stood for a moment surveying each other. 

“So, Dean Winchester.” She trailed one of her hands lower. “I guess I’ll just have to wait to see what you taste like.” She licked her lips.

“How will you manage?” He teased. She pulled away. “Can I walk you back to your room?” He offered. She hesitated. 

“You can walk me to my floor.” She countered. “Like I said, I’m not sure Jo would want you there.” He nodded. They turned and walked back towards the main lounge.  
“Up or down?”  
“Up.” She pressed the elevator button. As they stood waiting she turned to him again. 

“What happened between you and Jo?” It was blunt, but her tone was nonjudgmental. 

“Long story.” He didn’t meet her eyes. He wasn’t sure he wanted to dive into family history with a girl he’d just met. She narrowed her eyes. 

The elevator dinged and they stepped on. 

“Don’t think you’re getting out of telling me by wasting time. Go.” He sighed. He supposed she’d find out one way or another, better not to make Jo relive it.

“We used to be best friends. Family friends really. My little brother Sammy used to hang out with us while our parents played poker in the living room.” He laughed “One time we put makeup on poor little Sammy except we used sharpies, it didn’t come off for days.”

Pamela grinned. The elevator stopped on what he presumed to be her floor. He felt a slight twinge at the large number 10 when he stepped off. 

They made their way down the hall as Dean talked about Jo. “You know, she was the only girl that was allowed to sleepover?” He sighed nostalgic for simpler times. 

“So, what went wrong?” He turned to meet her eyes but instead they went to the window behind her. He swayed, suddenly queasy. He stopped quickly and one hand gripped the wall.

“Are you okay?” She stared at him, concerned. “Hey, talk to me. What’s wrong?” He shook his head and straightened.

“N-nothing.”

“Is it about Jo? Cause I didn’t mean t-”

“No, not Jo. It’s just. I’m afraid of heights.” His voice trailed off embarrassed.

“What?”

“I’m just not, not that fond of heights.” He shot a nervous glance out the window again, which of course, he instantly regretted. He scrunched up his face trying to distract himself. 

“Heights?” She laughed. “Oh my God Dean, I thought I’d upset you.” She grabbed his shirt and pulled him forwards. “C’mon you big baby.” She led him out of sight of the window. He felt a sense of relief. 

She sunk to the floor and patted the spot beside her. C’mon don’t think you’re getting out of telling me that story. He sighed and sat beside her. 

He went on to tell Pamela everything that had happened between John and Ellen. How Jo’s dad had reacted. How they hadn’t seen each other since. 

“I always felt kind of guilty y'know. It was my dad that caused all of this. Because of him Jo lost her father, had to uproot her whole life.” Pamela ran a comforting hand along his shoulder.

“Hey, it’s not your fault. If we blame ourselves for everything our parents have done? Hell, I’d be in jail.” He shrugged.

“Still. Can’t help it.” He sniffed, fighting the urge to cry. 

“You know the last thing I heard her say? It was after school. Her mom came and picked her up, their whole car loaded up with all of their things. She said ‘why do we have to go?’” He half laughed. “Why do we have to go?” He repeated. “And the look she gave me… Like it should’ve been my family to leave, like she hated me. I-” He broke off. Voice wavering.

“Dean,” Pamela hugged him tight. “I haven’t know Jo long, but I know her well enough to know that she’s reasonable. She wouldn’t blame you.” He shrugged. They sat there, Pamela holding Dean as he leaned over his knees and fought back tears. 

This night certainly hadn’t gone as he planned. Though he couldn't say it was all bad.


	7. First Day Shenanigans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean's first week at college is rather eventful.

Dean woke up at 9:20am. He’d snuck back into his room roughly an hour after he’d dropped off Pamela in her room. 

His first class for MWF was an 11am so he had plenty of time to shower and eat before class.

The first day went by fairly well. He had UNIV 111 in the morning which ended up being like an english class. It seemed like a pretty easy grade, but the first day meant icebreakers. 

Dean thought he’d left bullshit like this behind in highschool. Seems not. All the same, he met a kid named Ash who seemed pretty cool. They talked about cars and their mutual love of rock music. 

Dean’s second class was Technical theatre. The first day was pretty much just going over rules and regulations in the syllabus. Dean was given a list of materials he’d need for the class. 

Safety goggles  
Close toed shoes  
Hammer   
3 set screw drivers  
Scissors

And locations where he could buy them. 

His third and final class of the day was theatre, as in actual acting. Dean was nervous for this class. It would put him to the test. Lots of large personalities, not to mention talent, in one room. 

Dean was half relieved, half disappointed to learn that the class was canceled due to his teacher having a “panic attack” whatever that was.

It was Tuesday when things started going sour. Dean had a 10am Chemistry class. He was required to take at least 3 science courses to earn his degree, which he thought was incredibly stupid. His advisor had automatically signed him up for CHEM 101 cause that and bio were what most people took. 

Dean hated the class. The professor droned at them for the first half hour about how more than half of his students failed the class and how it would take up 100% of your free time. Dean groaned inwardly. He seemed like the most condescending man to ever walk the earth. 

He also went into a list of the expenses. They’d need to buy a lab coat, goggles, a carbon copy lab notebook, rent a Bunsen burner, buy textbooks, pay for mastering (an online program where they would do all of their homework), something called TopHat for attendance and class participation points. 

After that initial spiel he went into highschool chem review. Dean was lost. He’d never learned half of these things in highschool. He didn’t have the whole periodic table memorized, nor did he know the formula for deriving a wavelength given the frequency. 

Dean looked around the room, beginning to feel slightly panicked. Everyone around him seemed to be entranced. They were all taking colorful notes on their ipads, nodding their heads enthusiastically at whatever the teacher was saying. 

Dean had never felt more out of place. How was he supposed to pass this class when he didn’t even know avadgodro’s number or what complex proteins act as a catalyst. 

Everyone, well most everyone seemed to know all of this so the professor decided to move on to new information. Dean couldn’t take it. There was no way he was going to be able to pay for all of these materials or learn all of this before the first test. 

After class he went to his professor’s office hours. He expressed his concerns to which he was met with the same arrogance and glib attitude. Dean wrung his hands as his professor flipped through his file. 

“Ah. Lawrence, Kansas. I see, very poor education system in Kansas if you ask me.” He eyed Dean judgmentally as if it was his fault. “Bunch of rednecks and bible thumpers who deny evolution. No wonder you’re clueless.” Dean blinked, stunned at how rude someone could be. 

“I’m- I’m not, if I could just have a little extra help-”

“As for the materials, you need them for the course. Pay for them or fail.”

“I mean yeah, I would but it’s just so expensive-”

“Mr. Winchester, no excuses. These are the materials required for my class.” The man pushed Dean’s file aside gingerly as if it was dirty. Dean couldn’t believe anyone could get away with this bullshit.

“Okay, but you have to understand-” Dean was getting more annoyed every time this asshole cut him off.

“What exactly is it that your father does? Does he even have a job?”

“Wha- yes, he’s a mechanic. But I don’t see-”

“Ah, yes that explains it. Grunt work. No wonder he can’t afford your expenses. To bad it seems like he passed on his lack of brains.” That was it. Dean wouldn’t let anyone insult his family like that. He a white hot anger fill his body. 

Dean didn’t remember what happened next, just that his fist hurt and colorful words seemed to be pouring out of his mouth uncontrollably. 

He stumbled backwards out of the office as his professor shouted something about not coming back. 

Dean saw security guards moving towards him out of the corner of his eye and did what any sensible person would’ve done. He bolted. 

Dean didn’t know the layout of the building, which perhaps helped him by making his behavior less predictable. He had to wind through hallways and classrooms dodging other students. The guards followed him, but campus security wasn’t exactly the most challenging thing Dean had needed to escape in his life. 

He gained an early lead. He was faster and smaller than them, and he had a whole lot more to lose it he was caught. 

Dean rounded a bend to finally see the double doors to the exit. He sped up as he neared them. The guards turned the corner just as he was pushing through the doors. He glanced back for a heartbeat and instantly collided with someone. 

He barreled into a stranger. He saw a vague flash of black hair, but didn’t pay much attention. He regained his balance in less than a second and raced away, not bothering to apologize. 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Castiel was walking to Calc, his last class of the day. It had been rather uneventful. College seemed similar to highschool, except that he actually got to study what he wanted. 

He was just rounding the corner when out of nowhere a frantic boy with sandy colored hair barreled into him. Castiel was thrown sideways and had to use the wall to steady himself.   
He glanced backward to see who’d so rudely crashed into him only to see the boy halfway across the courtyard by now. 

He was puzzled by this boy, what could be so important he wouldn’t even stop after running into someone. Surely no class could be that important. 

As if to answer his question two burly security guards burst through the doors seconds after the boy. Castiel blinked at them calmly. 

“Did you see where he went?” One of them demanded urgently. 

Castiel studied the man. He wasn’t entirely sure why they were after the sandy haired boy, but he knew he trusted his intent more than the guards’. It felt almost instinctual, and Castiel’s instinct was never wrong. 

“Where who went?” He answered cooly. The guard looked skeptical, and opened his mouth as if to continue. Castiel stared steadily at the guard as if daring the burly man to call him on something. The guard eyed him, clearly suspicious, but said nothing. Castiel turned on his heel and returned on his track to Calc as if nothing had happened. 

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Dean may have escaped the guards but he still had to face his consequences. It wasn’t as bad as he thought it would be. 

A meeting with his advisor set things straight. He wasn’t expelled, thank God. 

He would be forced to withdraw from the class, which frankly he didn’t mind. Instead he would have to take another Gen-ed. His advisor recommended Poli Sci 103, stating that the teacher was very agreeable and would suit Dean well. Dean nodded. He was never really interested in US government, but how hard could it be? 

Dean was also required to submit a letter to the department head to apologize for his rash behavior, which was bullshit, but he’d do so long as he could stay in school. 

His advisor seemed very understanding of his outburst. It seemed like a lot of her students had a problem with the same professor. But she also warned him of the dangers of another outburst.

Dean left the advising office with a weight off of his chest. He was still in school. He was out of that class. He’d punched a dick professor in the face and gotten away relatively unscathed. He just hoped Poli Sci was more exciting then Chem. 

Well it sure would be a class he’d never forget…


	8. Something to Write With

Dean woke up at 8:50 on Thursday morning. This wouldn’t have been a problem, except that instead of a 10am, he had a 9am. Switching to Poli Sci meant earlier class time. 

“Shit” Dean mumbled as he pulled himself out of bed. If it was later in the year he’d just skip, but he didn’t want to start off on that foot. He quickly grabbed a flannel from his closet and threw it on over the shirt he’d slept in. He also pulled on a pair of jeans, grabbed his denim jacket, a notebook, and was out the door. 

Dean ran to class. It didn’t help that he had no idea where this new class was. By the time he’d found the right classroom he was 2 minutes late and completely out of breath. He burst in the classroom, which was luckily a lecture hall so hardly anyone paid his late arrival any mind. 

All of the seats in the back were taken so Dean had to sneak up the side to the front. He took a seat between two guys. One had his arm wrapped around the girl beside him. The other had messy black hair and was hunched over his notebook.

Dean was grateful to sit down. His lungs were begging for air. He quickly opened his notebook to the first free page and made to grab his pencil. 

That’s when he realized he’d forgotten to pack a pencil. Or a pen. Or anything to write with.

Dean sighed internally. Of course. He turned to the guy with the chick but he seemed preoccupied so instead Dean turned to the black haired boy.

“Hey, do have a pencil I could borrow?” He whispered grinning shyly. The boy turned to him and tilted his head. He appeared to be studying Dean. Dean swallow hard. After the first two seconds the intense eye contact had become rather uncomfortable. 

“You have very unique freckles. They’re quite beautiful.” Dean’s jaw went slack. Was this guy serious. You can't just say things like that. He wasn’t entirely sure whether he should punch the guy or thank him, so he did neither. Instead he stared blankly. The boy handed Dean his own pencil, reached into his bag for a new one, and turned back to the teacher without another word. 

Dean blinked. The loss of eye contact made him feel strangely empty. He shuddered, weirded out by the whole interaction, and turned to the professor. 

Dean spent the rest of class acutely aware of his distance relative to the boy with black hair. He was aware of his arm’s placement on the hand rest. He didn’t want to enter the boy’s space. Dean couldn’t place it but the boy seemed oddly familiar… 

He found he was oddly focused on the boy’s handwriting. It was cursive, light and flowy. A stark contrast from the chicken scratch that Dean transcribed. 

The lecture was rather boring in Dean’s mind. They reviewed basics that Dean actually HAD learned in highschool.

When class was over the boy stood and turned to leave.

“Hey,” In a heartbeat Dean was on his feet, his hand on the boy’s shoulder. 

The boy turned back to face Dean, the same puzzled expression on his face that he’d shown before.

“Uh,” Dean fought for something to say. He wasn’t entirely sure why he’d stopped the boy from leaving. 

“Do you have the notes from the first class?” He blurted out quickly. “I missed the first day, cause I transfered. From another class, not another school. Well from highschool, but-” Dean cut himself off realizing he was rambling. He couldn’t help it. The way those blue eyes pierced into him.

“Yes.” Was all the boy said. He reached into his bag and pulled out his notebook. He flipped to the first page. 

“Thanks!” Dean pulled out his phone and snapped a picture of the notes. The boy’s eyes never left his face. Dean could feel his skin growing hot where the boy stared. 

He straightened as the boy put away his notes. He turned to the exit, Dean followed closely behind. 

“Hey do I know you from somewhere?” Dean asked. He didn’t know why but he couldn’t scratch the itch.

“No,” The boy replied calmly, not facing Dean. 

“Are you sure? Because I swear you seem familiar. Maybe we met at a party or something?”

“Highly unlikely. I don’t go to parties.” Dean followed the boy, not quite sure why. 

“Okay, well I know you now.” He offered “What did you say your name was?” The boy walked so fast Dean almost had to jog to keep up.

“I didn’t” He replied vaguely.

“Oh, well I’m Dean. Winchester.” The boy stopped abruptly. Dean nearly tripped to avoid crashing into him. Those blue eyes were back studying him. They lingered slightly too long over Dean’s body and he cleared his throat uncomfortably. The boy didn’t seem to notice. 

“I see.” He said knowingly. “I’m Castiel.” His eyes swept up to meet Dean’s in an instant. 

“Castiel?” Dean repeated. God was anything about this guy normal? He nodded, eyes narrowing as they stared into Dean’s.

“So where do you live?” Dean continued following the boy.

“Alderman residential center.” 

“Me too! What floor are you on?” 

“11th” Dean wished that Castiel would respond with more than one word answers. 

They neared their dorm. Dean still doing his best to keep up. As the reached the double door Dean finally spoke again. 

“Well, hey maybe we could hangout sometime-” The boy turned to him.

“Why?”

“What?” Dean blinked in confusion. What kind of question was that?

“Believe me Dean.” He swallowed hard at the way his name rolled off of Castiel’s tongue “I’m not good company.” He pushed through the doors leaving Dean. He shook his head. And followed. 

“Look Ca-” They were interrupted suddenly by the RA Gabriel.

“Cassie!!” He ran up and hugged Castiel. Despite being taller Castiel was trapped under the smaller man’s arms. “Oh, hey Dean.” He released Castiel to address Dean.

Dean couldn’t help but notice the disgruntled look on Castiel’s face and the way his hair was now mussed up. He looked adorable.

“Hey, Gabe. You two know each other?” Dean didn’t know either of them well, but they seemed like unlikely friends.

“Well of couuuurrrrsssee” Gabriel said in a sing-song voice. “Cassie here is my grumpy baby brother.” 

“You’re brothers” Dean’s eyes flashed back and forth between the two. He failed to see any resemblance. “Well that explains the names.” He mumbled.

“Half-brothers.” Castiel corrected. “Do I even want to know how you two met?” 

“I helped ol Deano here move in, nice and speedy.” Gabriel clapped Castiel on the back. “Glad I did! I had no idea at the time that I was helping one of Cassie’s future friends.” He winked at Dean.

“We’re not friends.” He shot Dean a sideways glance. “I should go.” Castiel darted quickly into the elevator. Leaving Dean and Gabriel alone in the lobby.


	9. It Wouldn't Work

Castiel should’ve known better than to talk to Dean. He couldn’t influence anyone’s life again. After his last experience with a friend he knew it wasn’t worth risking friendship again. 

Castiel knew he didn’t make the best decisions. He was accepting of that. But from what he’d learned from the security guard situation, Dean wasn’t very good at impulse control. He couldn’t risk another friendship like the one that had ended mere months ago. Two reckless teenagers, feeding off of each other’s poor choices and spiraling into increasingly dangerous situations. 

Castiel had one friend. One best friend, Ash. He was content to leave it that way. Ash was a good influence. At least relative to what Castiel was used to. He’d stuck with Castiel through his phase of crime and even helped him adjust after juvie. 

Ash took him as he was. He liked Castiel before recovery, and he liked him now. That was enough for Castiel. 

So why couldn’t he get those green eyes and freckles out of his mind?

He entered his room to be greeted by Ash.

“Hey, Castiel. How’s it hanging?” Castiel sighed as he threw his backpack down on his bed. 

“Not great.” He sunk halfway onto his bed, legs dangling over the edge. Arms splayed out beside him.

“How come?”

“Just some guy in my Poli Sci class.” He said passively. 

“He giving you a hard time? Cause if so…” Ash rolled up his non-existent sleeves.

“No, nothing like that.” Cas laughed at the thought of Ash trying to beat up Dean to defend his honor. “He wanted to be my friend.”

“Oh, and?” Ash probbed. 

“Well I said no of course”

“Why?”

“Well aside from the fact that our first meeting he was being chased by campus security? Let’s see, there’s the fact that I have a criminal background.” Castiel replied snarkily. 

“Pfft, hardly criminal if you ask me.” Ash rolled his eyes.

“I was sent to juvie.” Castiel stated flatly.

“So what? You stole from some rich people, it was for a good cause.”

“That hardly matters in the eyes of the law. I’m just lucky I was still a minor.”

“I still don’t see what your past has to do with who can and can’t be your friends.”

“I need to stay out of trouble, I can't risk a criminal record. I want to make actual political change and I can only do that if I keep my nose clean.”

“I say you give this guy a chance. What’d you say his name was?”

“Doesn’t matter. Just drop it.” Castiel turned onto his side and put in his headphones, effectively ending the conversation.

Castiel thought he’d have the willpower to avoid making friends, but everywhere he went people tried to talk to him. 

They were varying in levels of irritation that they caused him. None of them interested him much. He wasn’t the type to make friends with just anyone. These people were of the same breed he’d been met with in his last town; flocks of sheep all trying to fit in and never willing to make waves. It was so boring, so painfully mundane.

He wondered if maybe he should befriend Dean. He at least seemed to have an actual personality. And if Castiel was going to be forced to make friends, he might as well have them be interesting. 

This plan went out of his head the second he learned who Dean’s roommate was. Word got around fast, especially when your brother was an RA. 

Gabriel had made quite the point of stating how ironic it was that Castiel’s “new best friend” was rooming with his old one. 

Castiel’s face went sour at even the mention of his name. Balthazar. All of the trouble Castiel had gotten in the past year had been his fault. Okay, maybe not all of it, but he was the reason they’d been caught. 

Castiel wanted to help the disadvantaged. So what if he stole a few bottles of meds or cans of beans? It was for a better cause, or at least that’s what he’d told himself at the time. 

Then Balthazar entered his life and with the blond came a series of mistakes that Castiel wished he could take back. Every crime he’d committed, his whole life had been for survival or for the good of others. Balthazar committed these acts just for sheer pleasure. 

He’d manipulated Castiel, convinced him to steal and then used the profits for his own benefit. Not like he needed it, Balthazar’s parents were loaded, but his trust fund seemingly wasn’t enough. 

Castiel didn’t like to think on those times. He’d been foolish, let his pride and ego cloud his judgement. It wasn’t his finest hour.

Anyway, he’d realized that there was a better way. The only way to enact significant change was to work his way into the government and fix the broken policies that allowed some to die while others rolled in their riches. A younger Castiel could never see himself as a stuck-up politician working for “the man” but if that’s what he had to do, so be it.

He didn’t see Dean fitting in to this picture though. It was too risky. And a friendship with him would mean seeing Balthazar, and he wasn’t sure that he was ready for that. 

So, he avoided Dean at all costs. He’d switched seats in Poli, never even glanced his way and pointedly ignored him the one time they were caught in the elevator together. 

Dean seemed to take the hint and backed off. Castiel was grateful, but couldn’t help but feel a slight twinge of guilt for how he was treating Dean. Still, it would be better in the long run if they were to never be friends.


	10. Chapter 10

Dean’s second week of school was full of excitement. Wednesday evening was sunny and 74. Dean joined the thwral of students to sit in the park. He sat alone, under a large magnolia tree. He had his books splayed out on the ground in front of him as he worked on his UNIV homework. 

It was hard to come up with a story that “changed his outlook on writing”. He hated writing. It’s sole purpose throughout his life had been half-assed essays, drawing up budgets, and forging teacher’s notes. He already disliked this bullshit class. 

Instead of coming up with ideas, Dean was tapping his pencil along to the beat of Def Leppard’s ‘Rock of Ages’ and staring at a group of girls sitting not too far away. They were giggling, taking pictures of each other, and stealing glances at Dean. 

He liked college girls a lot more than highschool girls. They were more mature, more varying, and had actual interests. Not to mention they were much more likely to put out on the first date. He hated the whole three dates thing. It led to relationships and relationships were not Dean’s forte. 

It was so much easier in college, he was surrounded by thousands of like-minded horny, selfish, bored kids who were struggling to make it. He fit in a lot better than he had in Kansas, that’s for sure. He couldn’t help but imagine how much Sammy would thrive here. 

The parties were fun and Dean loved meeting new people, but there was definitely a much steeper work load. He’d been doing his best with homework, but he was mainly getting C’s in all of his academic classes. At least he was passing. It was hard to know how to improve because he never had the chance to talk to his teachers about his individual grades. He’d figure it out, he just had to keep trying. 

It hardly mattered anyway. He told himself. Dean was an acting major. It’s not like you need to be a good writer or understand the government to be an actor.

His mind trailed off to his government class. He’d tried being friends with Castiel the first week. He’d been rejected fairly harshly. He couldn’t help but feel a twinge at the thought that he’d only ever see those striking blue eyes from afar. He’d never get the chance to see what the stone faced boy looking like when he smiled, or the sound of his laugh. 

Dean realized he was biting his lip and shifted awkwardly. 

Still, he’d given Castiel his space. He sat two rows back with a girl named Donna who was mildly annoying, but really sweet. They exchanged hushed whispers throughout the class, but Dean’s focus always seemed to fall on the messy black hair in the front of the room. 

Dean sighed. He had to focus. He turned back to the empty page in front of him. Still no ideas. 

He spun around and grabbed his phone. He could text Ash, the guy he’d met in UNIV. They’d exchanged numbers last class. Maybe hearing what someone else was writing about would help to trigger some ideas.

He sent a quick text. Ash responded immediately offering to let Dean read it. 

Thank God. Dean thought to himself. Ash told Dean he’d meet him in the park. Dean relaxed into the magnolia tree. 

Minutes later Ash was jogging towards him. He was holding his laptop and what appeared to be a pack of sodas. He stopped when he reached Dean.

“Hey Deano.” He sat down next to Dean. 

“Hey Ash”

“Here’s the computer, and the bullshit paper.” 

“You’re a lifesaver.” Dean thanked him. Ash shrugged and casually popped the lid of one of the cans and took a swig. “You want one?” He handed Dean a can. To Dean’s surprise it wasn’t soda, but beer. Dean coughed a laugh.

“A little early don’t you think?” Ash laughed.

“It’s 5pm somewhere.” Dean shrugged and took a swig. It was surprisingly good, at least compared to the watered down shit he’d been drinking since he got here.

“How’d you get your hands on this?” He asked. Ash pulled out a fake and waved it in front of Dean. Dean smirked.

“It’s not that hard to sneak it into the dorm either. Just act like you know what you’re doing and you can get away with anything.” He leaned back and let out a sigh. He noticed the girls smiling at Dean and sent them a wink. Dean meanwhile poured over Ash’s writing. It was well-structured, captivating, and met the description of the prompt.

“How do you write like this?” Dean was in awe. He hated reading and even HE wanted there to be more.

“Oh, I didn’t.” Ash stated simply “My roommate did. He just kinda asked me questions and got that,” He gestured at the computer. “I'm not too sure how, but I’m glad he did. I probably wouldn’t have done it. I’m much more computer savvy than I am a writer. Numbers make sense to me, words not so much.”

“Damn. Can your roommate write mine?” Dean began to re-read the paper trying to figure out what made it good. 

“Hm. Probably not the best idea. He’s been in a mood.” Ash rolled his eyes.

“Sorry to hear it.” Dean glanced at Ash. He knew what it was like to have roommate issues. Balthazar had been quite a handful, Dean spent most of his time outside of the room just to get away from him.

“Don’t be” Ash reassured him. “He’s just been going through it. I get it, I just wish I could talk some sense into him.” Dean nodded. He wished he could reason with Balthazar, but it never worked. 

Dean finally managed to come up with a story. Some bullshit about how Mary would read to him as he ate PB&J for lunch. It was all fake. It didn’t matter though, it’s not exactly like they could fact check him.

He finished the assignment by the time the sun was setting. Ash stayed with him, talking about how nice college was. When the light started to fade behind the trees they headed back to their dorm. Dean got off on his floor and waved Ash goodbye. It was nice to have a real friend so early on.


End file.
